Protective case for books



Dec. 1, 1964 F, cs. FEATHER 3,159,327

PROTECTIVE CASE FOR BOOKS Filed Nov. 8, 1961 ATTORNE) United States Patent 3,159,327 PRQ'TEQ l l in @ASE 56R BQQKS Francis Gordon Feather, 7 Brake Road, l-Vestciiff-on-Sea, Essex, Engiand Filed Nov. 3, 1%1, Ser. No. 15%),991 Gaines priority, application Great Britain Nov. 11, 196i) 4 (liaims. (Cl. 22923) The present invention relates to a protective case for the reception and protection of individual books when they are not in use.

The improved case according to the invention is intended primarily though not exclusively for use with socalled paper-backs which are relatively fragile as compared with fully bound books and the covers of which are liable to be easily deformed or multilated According to the present invention, a protective case for a book comprises two stiff rectangular side panels spaced from and parallel to one another, two of the long edges of the panels being connected together by a strip of material forming a spine, the panels being also connected together along their shorter edges by strips of material to form a rectangular box-like structure open along the edge remote from the spine, one or more apertures being provided in or near the spine for thepassage of air between the interior of the case and the exterior.

The side panels can be readily constructed to closely resemble the cover of a normal fully bound book and the air apertures can be formed in such a manner that the case when viewed from the end closely resembles a fully bound book.

It is usual for paper-backs to be produced in one of a very few approximately standard sizes and the improved case according to the invention is well adapted to be produced in a few standard sizes to receive such paperbacks with a reasonably snug and protective fit.

An embodiment of the case according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the two main parts of the case,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case shown in FIG. 1, assembled and with a book inserted, and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the case.

The case shown in the drawings comprises a pair of stir": rectangular side panels 1 and 2 which may be made of cardboard or like stiff material. The side panels of the assembled case are spaced from an parallel to one another and are joined by a strip of material 3, in this case book-binders canvas, which constitutes a spine for the case. Other flexible material may be used in place of book-binders canvas and even relatively non-flexible material such as cardboard may be used. The strip of book-binders canvas 3 is reinforced by a rectangular strip of cardboard 4 which is glued to the strip 3 between the side panels 1 and 2 leaving two uncovered flexible parts of the strip 5 and 6. The outward facing surfaces of the panels 1 and 2 are partly covered with pieces of paper 7 and S which are printed with an ornamental pattern or design, the edges of the pieces of paper 7 and 8 being folded over the edges of the panels 1 and 2.

The panels 1 and 2 are connected together along their shorter edges 9 and 19, and 11 and 12 by means of strips of material which in this embodiment are constituted by the end-portions of a loop of paper formed by securing together the ends of a rectangular piece of paper with a strip of adhesive tape applied internally of the loop. The

loop 13 is formed to the correct shape by placing it on a former a little larger than the book intended to be protected by the case.

Alternatively, the shorter edges of the panels 1 and 2 "ice may be connected together by fabric or like flexible material or even by cardboard.

The panels 1 and 2 are glued to the loop 13, the parts 5 and 6 of the strip 3 being bent so that the strip 3 takes the form of a U and the parts 5 and 6 form edge ridges similar to those along the spine of a fully bound book (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Cardboard used in place of the strip of book-binders canvas 3 can bent bent to a U-section but it will not given such a realistic imitation of the spine of a fully bound book because it Will not form such pronounced ridges.

A small aperture constituted by a slot 14 (FIG. 3) is left at each end of the case between the loop 13 and the spine of the case so as to allow passage of air between the interior of the case and the exterior. Apertures may however be formed in the spine either in place or in addition to the slots 14.

A book to be protected can be readily slipped into the case from the open side and the fit can be such that the book is not liable to emerge under normal handling. The insertion of a book is facilitated by the presence of the apertures 1 which allow air trapped within the case by the book being inserted to escape.

To remove the book, the case is held by the spine with the spine uppermost and the book will then slide out of the case, usually without shaking, air entering through the apertures 14. Thus no recesses or holes need be provided permitting the book to be gripped to pull it out. Such recesses or holes have the disadvantage that they leave parts of the book unprotected and lead to dirty finger marks being impressed on the book.

When inserted in the present case, a book is well protected as can be seen from FIG. 2 Where a book inserted in the case is shown in chain-dotted lines.

I claim:

1. A protective case for a book comprising:

(a) two rectangular side panels of stiff material spaced from and parallel to one another adjacent edges of said panels being parallel to one another;

(b) a. strip of less rigid material connecting said two panels together along a pair of adjacent edges of said panels;

(0) two further strips of less rigid material connecting said two panels together along their two pairs of edges at right angles to said first-mentioned pair of edges, the case thus being in the form of a box-like structure open along one of its edges;

(d) the case further having at least one aperture provided in it in the region of said connected firstmentioned edges of said panels, to allow passage of air between the interior and the exterior of the case.

2. A protective case for a book comprising:

(a) two rectangular side panels of stiff material spaced from and parallel to one another adjacent edges of said panels being parallel to one another;

(b) a strip of flexible material connecting said two panels together along a pair of adjacent edges of said panels;

(0) a strip of stiff material narrower than said strip of flexible material and secured thereto so as to extend parallel to said pair of adjacent edges of said side panels adjacent same and spaced therefrom by narrow portions of said flexible material, said strip of stiff material constituting a spine for said case;

(at) two further strips of flexible material connecting said two side panels together along their two pairs of edges at right angles to said first-mentioned pair of edges, the case thus being in the form of a boxlike structure open along one of its edges;

(e) the case further having at least one aperture provided in it in the region of said connected first-nontioned edges to allow: passage ofair between the interior and the exterior of the case.

3. A protective case for a book comprising:

(a) two rectangular side panels ofstift material spaced from and parallel to one another adjacent edges of said panels being parallel to one another;

(19) a strip of flexible material connecting said two panels together along a pair of adjacent edges'of said panels; 7 (c) a strip of stifi material narrower than said strip 'of flexible material and secured thereto so as to extend parallel to said pair of adjacent edges, of said side panels adjacent same and spaced therefrom by narrow portions of said flexible material; said strip of stiff material constituting a spine for said case; (d) two further strips of flexible material connecting said two side panels together along two pairs of edges 7 at right angles to said first-mentionedpair of edges, the case thus being in the form of a box-like structure open along one of its edges; 1 (e) the'case further having at least one aperture provided in it to allow passage of air between the inbeing formed'as a slot between the material connecting said first-mentioned pair of edges of the side I n panels and material connecting a pair of said edges of the side panels extending at right angles to said first-mentioned edges.

4. A protective case for a book according to claim 3, a wherein said strips of flexible material connecting the edges of said side panels extending at right angles to said first-mentioned edges comprise end portions of a loop of material rectangular in longitudinal section and in crosssection and located between said side panels of the case with one of its'edges adjacent the spine-of the caseand adhesively secured to said side panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. PROTECTIVE CASE FOR A BOOK COMPRISING: (A) TWO RECTANGULAR SIDE PANELS OF STIFF MATERIAL SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER ADJACENT EDGES OF SAID PANELS BEING PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER; (B) A STRIP OF LESS RIGID MATERIAL CONNECTING SAID TWO PANELS TOGETHER ALONG A PAIR OF ADJACENT EDGES OF SAID PANELS; (C) TWO FURTHUR STRIPS OF LESS RIGID MATERIAL CONNECTING SAID TWO PANELS TOGETHER ALONG THEIR TWO PAIRS OF EDGES AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PAIR OF EDGES. THE CASE THUS BEING IN THE FORM OF BOX-LIKE STRUCTURE OPEN ALONG ONE OF ITS EDGES; (D) THE CASE FURTHUR HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE PROVIDED IN IT IN THE REGION OF SAID CONNECTED FIRSTMENTIONED EDGES OF SAID PANELS, TO ALLOW PASSAGE OF AIR BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE CASE. 